By Melissa Renwick, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, HA-SHILTH-SA
On a community bulletin board outside of the Tofino Co-op Food Store, Shed restaurant advertised a $500 signing bonus for line-cooks and dishwashers.
Live to Surf, TOFINO Kombucha and Wolf in the Fog also had job postings on display.
Meanwhile, the Dockside Smoked Fish Store has closed for two days a week.
91裸聊视频淪taffing is the main issue,91裸聊视频� said owner and Ahousaht Tyee Ha91裸聊视频檞ilth Maquinna Lewis George. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 super busy. We shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be closed, but we91裸聊视频檙e having to close.91裸聊视频�
Without enough staff to keep the business running full-time, George said the decision was made for him.
It91裸聊视频檚 a problem nearly every business in Tofino has been grappling with this summer, said Tofino Long Beach Chamber of Commerce President Laura McDonald.
91裸聊视频淏usinesses are being impacted by labour shortages to a significant extent,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淢any can91裸聊视频檛 be open at full capacity during the busy season, when they rely on making enough to carry them through the rest of the year.91裸聊视频�
Tofino91裸聊视频檚 transient population and the town91裸聊视频檚 housing crisis are contributing factors that have carried over from previous years, said Tourism Tofino Chair Samantha Hackett.
COVID-19 compounded those issues by presenting new layers of challenges. When businesses were forced to close in March 2020 to combat the virus, many people who relied on tourism to support their families had to look for opportunities outside the sector, said Hackett.
91裸聊视频淭he whole industry, not just in Tofino, has seen that shift of losing some of those long-term workers,91裸聊视频� she said.
George said a recent hire quit because she couldn91裸聊视频檛 handle the workload. Another resigned because she didn91裸聊视频檛 feel comfortable engaging with so many tourists daily after being exposed to COVID-19.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been really, really hard,91裸聊视频� he said.
Due to travel restrictions, the town has also seen a loss of its international workforce.
91裸聊视频淭ofino is in a remote location and we absolutely rely on working holiday visa type employees,91裸聊视频� said Hackett. 91裸聊视频淥bviously, that91裸聊视频檚 pretty much non-existent at this point. It91裸聊视频檚 going to take some time. We have to rebuild our workforce over these next few years.91裸聊视频�
Partnering with colleges and universities is one of the ways the town plans to do that, said Hackett.
According to preliminary data from STR, Tofino91裸聊视频檚 hotel occupancy in July was 92.6 per cent, as compared to 75 per cent in 2020 and 94.5 per cent in 2019.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e seen very, very busy years before,91裸聊视频� said George. 91裸聊视频淭ofino has always been busy.91裸聊视频�
Yet, the combination of high occupancy rates and staffing shortages have made it difficult for businesses to meet tourism demands, said McDonald.
To address the issue of staffing shortages, the chamber said it91裸聊视频檚 working with other resort jurisdictions and the BC Chamber of Commerce.
91裸聊视频淭he aim is to come up with some short and long-term solutions from a provincial and federal perspective,91裸聊视频� McDonald said. 91裸聊视频淭he impact of this issue is being felt everywhere right now. It is not a problem that is unique to the west coast, unfortunately.91裸聊视频�
As the summer season wraps up, McDonald said the chamber will begin to have conversations with businesses to identify short-term solutions that can be implemented locally.
While George continues to cope with a staffing shortage and operational changes resulting from COVID-19, he is trying to stay positive.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e always been told that if you see a negative, try to turn into a positive,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 the way I want to live.91裸聊视频�
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